Saudi carrier flyadeal to start flights to Syria, CEO says

MANILA, May 28 (Reuters) - Saudi budget carrier flyadeal could start flying to Syria as early as July, CEO Steven Greenway said on Wednesday, joining a handful of foreign airlines introducing or resuming flights to the country as sanctions against it are scaled back.

"We got approvals last week to fly to Syria ... We're getting ready to hopefully launch that in July," Greenway told Reuters in Manila where he announced a deal to lease two jets from Philippine budget airline Cebu Pacific.

Many airlines pulled out of Syria during its 14-year civil war. International flights also stopped for a period after rebels toppled former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, but then resumed with services currently offered by Qatar Airways, Turkish Airlines and Royal Jordanian as well as Syrian carriers.

United Arab Emirates-based FlyDubai has said it will resume services from June.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration last week issued orders effectively lifting sanctions on Syria. Trump said he did so at the behest of Saudi Arabia's crown prince.

EU foreign ministers also agreed last week to lift economic sanctions on Syria.